Red Deer middle schooler threatened with knife downtown

Mounties say their initial investigation revealed that earlier that day, around 7:30 a.m., a youth had allegedly been threatened with a knife and had their backpack stolen.

RCMP say the youth was not physically injured and police are working with the school and community regarding safety.

According to a March 26 letter to parents from Central Middle School, which is downtown, near both City Hall and the bus station, the student had their backpack stolen. Once the student arrived at school and told staff, RCMP were called.

“More details continue to emerge as RCMP investigate the incident,” reads the letter. “As a result, we want to inform families that this incident did not occur at Sorensen Station, and Red Deer City Transit was not involved. The incident took place north of City Hall as the student was followed.”

The letter says both Central Middle and the City continue to be dedicated to working with the RCMP to support their investigation.

“In addition, the City is working to add additional supervisory support for its transit facilities, and overall transit operations. This will be implemented in May 2026, and will assist with ongoing operations at Sorensen Station.”

“We recognize that incidents like this can be unsettling,” the letter goes on to say. “Counselling support is available at the school for any students who need it, and we encourage families to reach out if additional support would be helpful. We continue to encourage families to speak with their children about personal safety when travelling to and from school. We will also be speaking to our students about bus safety and the importance of walking in groups, staying aware of surroundings, and avoiding engagement or confrontation with others is important.”

The letter concludes that students and parents are encouraged to inform school administrators with any concerns that arise when travelling to and from school.

Red Deer RCMP are actively investigating this incident and are asking anyone who can identify the suspects in the above photos, to contact the Red Deer RCMP at 403-406-2200.

If you wish to remain anonymous, you can contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), online at www.P3Tips.com or by using the “P3 Tips” app available through the Apple App or Google Play Store. To report crime online, or for access to RCMP news and information, download the Alberta RCMP app through Apple or Google Play.

by Josh Hall

Red Deer middle schooler threatened with knife downtown

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